Ciao Bella! Rare ’54 Porsche 356 Heads to Auction in Italy
Beautifully restored Pre-A Speedster is one of only 1,233 built.
The Porsche 356 was a wildly popular car back in its time, which set the tone for Porsche as we know it today. It’s become perhaps even more popular today, as its timeless lines and historic significance prove to be irresistible for collectors. This is very much true of the first 356’s ever built, otherwise known as the “Pre-A” models. Especially the Pre-A Speedster.
Only 1,233 Pre-A Speedsters were built, making them a rather rare sight today. And this one, scheduled to hit the block in Lake Como, Italy, at RM Sotheby’s Villa Erba auction on May 27, is one of the nicest examples you’ll ever see. Chassis no. 80075 is the 75th such car to roll off the assembly line, and it has a number of desirable options for an early car.
The black paint looks tremendous on the old Porsche, though it was originally painted GLASSO Blau (Blue). The interior is upholstered in Kunstleder Acella, or basket-weave textured leatherette, which was optional on 356’s in the 1960s. It does sport the correct ivory plastic steering wheel and shift/door knobs, however.
The Speedster was originally sold in New York, but made its way back to Europe in 2001. Five years later, a new owner completed the restoration you see today. Somewhere along the line, the original engine was replaced with a later 1600 Type 616/15 1 963 356 C. The newer owner also converted all the gauges to metric.
Despite the changes, this Pre-A Speedster is one stunning example of the breed. The deviations from its originality will certainly hurt the value, which is evident from the catalog estimate of $360,000-393,000. But that also means some lucky collector is likely going home with a rare, beautiful, and historically significant car at a discount.
